Online chess community where you can play chess, learn strategies and tactics, read chess news, see book reviews, find rules & tips, get free downloads, and more! http://www.chess.com/ 2007 Chess.com Do  you the terms of fork and spear in chess? They are describing tactical weapons, which should be in our arsenal   1. The fork Definition: One piece attacks two other pieces or points simultaneous. Well kown is the knight fork, but all a...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/fork-and-spearThu, 19 Nov 2009 02:01:36 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/fork-and-spearHere three basic rook endgames, every chessplayer should know:   1. The Philidorposition There is one basic rule in such endgames: You can only win, when you have the control over the queening square. Here we see, that the black king has...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/rook-endgames-3-basic-positionsFri, 13 Nov 2009 03:05:11 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/rook-endgames-3-basic-positions"It is an error to think, that rook endgames are easy to play!" Victor Kortschnoi   1. A basic rook endgame The following diagram is is a basic rook endgame, everyone should know.      So we see: When the black king keeps moving betwee...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/rook-endgames-are-not-easyThu, 05 Nov 2009 03:39:37 -0800http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/rook-endgames-are-not-easyPlease look at the following position. It is from a game of super grandmaster level. Shirov, the white player, showed here much creativity   White has pushed very early his d-pawn till the seventh row. But now black threatens to interrupt t...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/partisans-deep-in-enemy-landFri, 23 Oct 2009 02:09:07 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/partisans-deep-in-enemy-landPlease look at the following pawnstructure. It is a very popular pawnstructure, which can come up from several openings. For example from the Semi-Tarrasch and Queen`s gambit accepted, but also from the Greenfield opening (with pawn on g6)   ...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-strength-of-a-center-passed-pawnSun, 11 Oct 2009 02:55:37 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-strength-of-a-center-passed-pawnAfter a sharp gambit in Slav defense white has a strong kingside attack. Black decides to give an exchange ( rook for minor piece) to stop the white initiative and go for a better endgame.- Why a better endgame? Because the pair of bishops and th...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-strong-exchange-sacrify-to-get-a-better-endgameMon, 21 Sep 2009 03:50:03 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/a-strong-exchange-sacrify-to-get-a-better-endgameIn one of my free OTB - games came up following position:   I had had for a long time the initiative and now I saw the chance to transpose into a better bishop endgame with an outside passed pawn 1. ... Bxg2 ! The bishop cannot be taken, b...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/create-and-use-outside-passed-pawnsSat, 12 Sep 2009 00:37:03 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/create-and-use-outside-passed-pawns                                                                                     The underestimated pawns   Philidor said in his famous chess book: " Th...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-underestimated-pawnsTue, 18 Aug 2009 06:08:55 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-underestimated-pawns                Some time ago I posted here in my blog A good bishop on b2! and praised that bishop. Here now two new examples with that theme. *** Last friday a friend  showed me a position from one of his games. He had the ...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-power-of-the-bb2Sun, 09 Aug 2009 06:20:33 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-power-of-the-bb2Presumely many of you know already the concept of a far distant passed pawn . Here is an illustrative example for it:     Although the material is equal, white will win this pawnendgame easily.The reason for it is the distant passed pawn on ...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-concept-of-the-far-distant-passed-pawnWed, 29 Jul 2009 06:37:41 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-concept-of-the-far-distant-passed-pawn You know the four main elements in chess ? The first three  are clear: 1. Space          =           the chessboard 2. Material      =            the pieces 3. Time           =           p...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-fourth-element-the-harmony-of-piecesSun, 19 Jul 2009 06:45:02 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-fourth-element-the-harmony-of-piecesI am a more positional player and  most of the times I am not on search for dynamical possibilities.- But in modern chess the dynamical play and the fight for initiative have become to a very important weapon!. Here a position in the Catalan op...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/sacrify-material-to-get-the-initiativeSun, 05 Jul 2009 02:58:11 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/sacrify-material-to-get-the-initiative Last week I played a training game in a chess club. So after winning a pawn in middlegame  we reached following position     It is an endgame with all heavy pieces on board. This is not so easy to play and to win. So how should I go on? ...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/keep-it-simpleSat, 30 May 2009 23:54:21 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/keep-it-simple                                The Art of Simplification   In my last post I have praised the crystall-clear positional play of Akiba Rubinstein. His games were the favorites in my youth. Now I have become much ...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/smyslov---or-the-quotart-of-simplificationquotWed, 27 May 2009 05:43:58 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/smyslov---or-the-quotart-of-simplificationquotAkiba Rubinstein (wikipedia link) was the first master of chesshistory, who impressed me through his chess style. I admired the precise logic of his moves and deep inside of me was created the wish to play like him. So I have not reached that aim...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/akiba-rubinstein-veryTue, 19 May 2009 01:08:39 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/akiba-rubinstein-very                                                                             The king in endgame   In endgame the role of king is often from a special importance. He i...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-king-in-endgameSat, 09 May 2009 08:08:22 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-king-in-endgame How can you become, - perhaps -, a master in chess?   Most of us will have asked this question once to ourselves or others. Here some advices I found in an old book (1980) of an IM from the Netherlands: (point 6 is from myself) 1. Study che...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/how-become-a-master-in-chessTue, 05 May 2009 01:27:19 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/how-become-a-master-in-chess                                                                My best loss: powerplay in the f-file! The following game is probably one of my best I played here at chess.com. It wa...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/my-best-lossFri, 01 May 2009 00:58:59 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/my-best-loss                                                                              The simple path! Some of the books, which have influenced me very much, are the 3 books o...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-simple-pathSat, 25 Apr 2009 22:41:18 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-simple-path                                               The old rule!                                  "If you have a lead in development, open the position!"   In a  online gam...http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-old-ruleWed, 22 Apr 2009 04:39:50 -0700http://blog.chess.com/mauerblume/the-old-rule